Simon O’Riordan, Metadata Analyst, University Libraries

Simon O’Riordan (pronounced oh-REAR-den) is the new metadata analyst in the Library. His role as Metadata Analyst is to provide metadata expertise for digital scholarship, digitalization and other metadata-dependent efforts as well as provide consultation on various metadata topics.

In this role, Simon will also focus on the normalization of metadata in the Emory libraries, through initiatives like the Emory Core Metadata Template as well as through resources such as the new top-level metadata website, designed for those working with and creating metadata here at the Emory University Libraries. This will allow for better interoperability of metadata between Emory’s various systems and groups and means increased discoverability and accessibility for materials.

Born in San Diego, CA, Simon joins Content Division after spending a year as a Research Library Fellow, first in the Emory Center for Digital Scholarship and later in the Scholarly Communications Office, where he attended to the data management needs of Emory faculty and students and managed data deposits. Previously he also worked in the University of California-San Diego’s curation program.

Simon came to Emory from UNC-Chapel Hill, where he received his master’s degree in library science. He also has a master’s degree in history from Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada. He received a double bachelor’s degree in history and theology from Seattle University.

Simon enjoys playing soccer, where he is a defensive midfielder, and he is also an Ultimate Frisbee player. Simon misses the beaches and surfing in San Diego, although he is growing to like the beaches here in Georgia and North Carolina. He has a Chihuahua/Corgi mix who he says is too cute for his own good and the dog knows it (and flaunts it). The dog belongs to his fiancé, Meaghan, whom Simon plans to marry at Old Salem (in Winston Salem, NC) next March. He met Meaghan for the first time in a cataloging class while attending library school at UNC-Chapel Hill.

You can reach Simon at soriordan [at] emory [dot] edu.